Secret Valentine
by cupcakesandlovefests
Summary: Rachel finally does the right thing,but Finn's reaction is surprising and might just lead to her following her heart finally.


"Rachel baby, it's Valentine's Day, why are you moping?"

She lifted her head from the arm of the couch at the sound of her daddy's voice, she tried to smile but it fell short. Leroy knew it, she knew it and when Hiram finally entered the room he took one look at his daughter before dropping the brown paper bags full of food to the floor, not caring as their groceries scattered across the hardwood and a few apples disappeared beneath the seating.

"What happened?" was all they said as they rushed to their only daughter's side.

Leroy sat on the free side pulling Rachel to him as Hiram perched himself on the arm. Rachel sighed before looking to them both.

"I've made such a mess of things, dad's, I really don't know what to do" she admitted solemnly.

"Is this to do with Finn?" Hiram asked gently, not wanting to press too much at once.

She nodded her head before wincing at the memory playing back in her head.

"_What do you mean?" Finn asked sadly before his expression took on more anger._

"_No! No, we're engaged Rachel, we're going to get married!" _

_Rachel blinked away her tears as she shook her head at the taller boy._

"_I love you, Finn, but I can't hurt you-"_

_He laughed without humour._

"_What do you think you're doing to me right now?"_

"_I'm sorry, Finn" she said softly. "But I'd rather hurt you telling the truth than stay living in a lie, and who were we trying to kid? You like it here in Lima; you're planning on taking over Burt's business when he gives it up. You thought you didn't have plans but you do"_

"_You just don't love me" Finn said childishly._

_Rachel sighed and ran a hand through her hair. _

"_Now you're just lashing out because you're hurt, I understand Finn, but you know I love you. Why else would I have overlooked all of your flaws and the bad experiences to be with you? I love you, but New York has my heart" _

"_I know it isn't just New York, Rachel" he said seriously as he stared her right in the eyes. _

_She swallowed nervously, a thickness suddenly clogging her throat._

"_I don't know what you're talking about, Finn"_

"_I know I'm stupid and I do a lot of stupid things, but I know this time I'm right" he said as he stood to his feet. "I know I've messed up in the past and I know you deserve more than me, but her..after everything?" _

_Rachel looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her heart was beating fast and for once, she was speechless._

"_Please don't look so surprised" he begged, "I don't know why I didn't see it sooner, I think maybe I did but I just chose to look the other way because I wanted you. Maybe it's for the best; I always knew you needed a big city and your name in lights, not a husband that likes his small home town and relives his High School Glory Days" _

"_Finn, I-"_

_He smiled slightly, that little crease in the corner of his mouth twitching every so slightly as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. _

"_Rach, I love you, and sure it hurts but more than anything I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy, and so does she"_

_Rachel remained rooted to the spot, dumbfounded at what had just happened. _

_Finn had started to leave before he whirled around in the middle of the doorway._

"_Hey, Yale isn't too far from New York, right?" _

Her fathers were stunned into silence, both by the change in Finn's behaviour and by their daughter's secret.

"You're in love with someone that isn't Finn" Leroy said, sounding somewhat relieved.

"And that person is a she" Hiram finished.

"Yes" Rachel said quietly, still shocked that she was finally admitting it out loud to someone other than her reflection in her bathroom mirror.

"Who?" they both asked.

"Quinn Fabray" Rachel sighed as she leant her head against Hiram's knee.

"Oh Rachel, you've been in Glee with her for years, why are we only hearing about this just now?" Hiram asked as he stroked her hair gently.

"I was denying it to myself, every time I felt my feelings for her cropping up I just pushed them down and turned my attention to Finn" she admitted as she averted her eyes slightly.

"Rachel, sweetie, please look at us" Leroy told her as he tapped her chin lightly, she lifted her head and looked between the two of them.

"We know you didn't do it because you were afraid of being different, or perhaps a lot like your Dad and I, you were obviously frightened. We'd just like to understand why" he said understandingly.

"Quinn and I..we're complicated to say the least"

_Her first day at Mckinley High, she was so excited to be somewhere new and was wearing the pretty dress her father had bought her the weekend previous. Quinn was a transfer from another town but luckily she was just in time to start only a few days after the other students starting and returning. _

_She walked down the hall smiling at people in her path, her brand new books held against her chest. She looked to the crumpled piece of paper in her hand, her locker number and combination. _

_After a few minutes of searching she hadn't found it, if she didn't hurry she'd be late and that just wouldn't do for her first impression. She was preparing herself to carry the heavy books with her all day when a petite brunette approached her. _

"_Hi, my name's Rachel Berry, sorry to be so forward but you look a little lost, do you need some help?" _

_Quinn smiled back at the girl, the sweater she was wearing was loud and rather childish but somehow this Rachel person made it work, even with the barely there skirt it was tucked into._

"_Hello, I'm Quinn. I'm trying to find my locker, you wouldn't know where to find it would you?" she asked politely as she handed over the paper with the number written on it. _

_Rachel looked at the number before looking back up to her with a smile._

"_I absolutely would! This happens to be only a few lockers down from my own, follow me" she said as she started marching back towards her own locker. _

_Quinn followed at her feet and accidentally walked into the shorter girl when she suddenly twirled around, Rachel laughed as the blonde apologized._

"_This is mine" she said pointing to the locker she stood in front of, "yours is the third one down" _

_She quietly put in the combination before dumping her books in, grateful that she only needed to carry the one now. _

"_Thank y-" she said as she spun around, but Rachel had already disappeared._

_She shook her head before shutting her locker and running to her first lesson of the day._

"That doesn't sound very complicated" Leroy said with a confused expression, "surely you're friends"

Rachel chuckled slightly.

"We are now"

"Why not back then?" Hiram asked as he gestured for Rachel to move over.

"_Hi Quinn" Rachel said appearing in front of the blonde who was sitting alone at a lunch table, "mind if I join you?" she asked gesturing to the paper bag in her hand._

_Quinn smiled and shook her head._

"_Of course not, I'd appreciate the company"_

_Things were quiet but they exchanged pleasantries and eventually fell into conversation, Rachel talked a lot but Quinn thought it was rather endearing, she'd definitely never met anyone like her before._

_Quinn was still laughing at something she'd said when the brunette looked to her watch before hurrying to pack away her things._

"_I hope I don't appear rude but I need to get to the music room before the lunch period is over, I'd invite you to join me but I don't want you to rush your food and –"_

_The blonde held up a hand to the babbling girl, who looked to her and blushed very slightly._

"_It's okay, Rachel" she smiled, "we can eat lunch together tomorrow, but only if you want to" _

"_I'll see you tomorrow then, Quinn" Rachel grinned before rushing away._

_The blonde shook her head and smiled to herself before continuing to eat the lunch she'd bought from home, cafeteria food really wasn't good, especially when she'd spent so long to lose all that weight. _

_A bunch of giggling girls in Cheerleading Uniforms suddenly stopped in front of her table; she nervously looked up at them. _

"_Hello" she said quietly before gulping. Was that right? Had she done something wrong? _

_A tall snooty looking blonde leaned over the table, grinning at her. _

"_You're Cheerio material" she said simply._

"_Really?" Quinn said genuinely surprised, she wasn't used to compliments. Wait, that was a compliment, wasn't it? "You think I'm thin enough to be a cheerleader?"_

_The girl laughed and sat down beside her, waving away the rest of her group. _

"_Come on, look at you, you know you're hot" she said rolling her eyes, "but are you any use to us? Coach Sylvester won't let you even try out if you can't at the very least do a cartwheel and shake what your momma' gave you" _

_Quinn laughed and the girl raised an eyebrow._

"_I can dance, so I've been told, and I'm a gymnast. No one wants to be the fat kid" _

_The blonde girl threw her head back and laughed like she'd just heard the funniest thing in the world; the only thing Quinn was feeling was guilt for making such a comment. But she knew how it felt to be the fat kid, to be friendless, excluded._

"_Damn right, not that any of us have that problem. What's your name any way?"_

"_Quinn"_

"_Huh, unusual, I like it. I can get you a tryout, Quinn, but you can't be seen with that Berry girl" _

_Quinn's forehead creased slightly. Why? What was wrong with Rachel?_

"_Why?" she asked and the Cheerio laughed as she stood to her feet._

"_You're funny. Have you seen her? Zero fashion sense, that nose and don't even get me started on her parents. She has two dad's, that just isn't natural. Cut her loose, Q" she said as she walked away._

"_How will I know about my tryout?" Quinn asked as she stood to her feet._

"_Sue will find you" the girl, later to be known as Kelly, said with a wink before leaving._

_**The following day;**_

_Rachel smiled to herself as she carried her lunch to the table she'd sat at with Quinn with the day previous, the smile dropped from her face as she got closer. Quinn was surrounded by Cheerios, all of them in deep conversation._

_She looked to the floor before turning on her heel, Quinn saw her leaving and breathed a sigh of relief and ignored the temptation to go after her._

_It was the end of the day and the two were collecting belongings from their lockers. _

"_Hi Quinn" Rachel said happily as she approached the blonde girl who was now cringing into her locker. "I saw you were occupied at lunch time, will tomorrow be okay or are you sitting with all of those girls again?" _

"_I think I'll be sitting with them again, sorry" Quinn mumbled as she closed the locker door._

"_That's fine" Rachel said still smiling. "Are you doing anything now?"_

"_Just going home" _

"_Would you like to come to my house for dinner?" she asked, "My dad's making a vegan meal that I think you might like" _

"_Is this loser bothering you, Quinn?" a thin Hispanic girl said as she suddenly flanked Quinn, Rachel looked down to the floor._

"_What do you want, troll?" Kelly said harshly as she approached._

"_I was just speaking to Quinn" Rachel said, "but it doesn't matter, some other time maybe" _

"_Listen, Berry, Quinn doesn't want to be friends with you so there won't be a next time. You need to learn your place, cheerleaders run this school and it's our job to make losers like you know that you'll never be us. Isn't that right, Quinn?"_

"_Um, sure" Quinn said unenthusiastically._

_Kelly laughed._

"_I graduate this year, and Quinn here is a shoo in to be my replacement, which means she'll be the one in control around here. So get used to keeping out of her way, Berry, now leave" _

_Rachel nodded silently and turned to walk away._

"_Wait, Rachel" Quinn said suddenly before taking a step towards her, the brunette turned around and looked to her sadly. _

_It took everything Quinn had to not break; she could feel all the pairs of eyes on them, so she gave in. She reached out to snatch a cup from a passing footballer's hand and flung the ice cold liquid all over the girl._

"_We'll never be friends" she said in the coldest voice she could muster, "any time I smell you near me expect one of those, now get out of my sight, Berry" _

_The smaller girl was still coughing and squinting as corn syrup dripping down her face and stained her clothing, Quinn was pretty sure that tears were running down her face too but she wouldn't let herself look. Instead she walked down the hall to her car before locking herself in it and crying in disgust._

Leroy and Hiram were shocked, they knew Rachel had been bullied but they didn't know just how bad things had been.

"She gave in to peer pressure, guys, she's not the only one guilty of it" she said jumping to the girl's defense.

"But.."

"The way she treated you"

"It didn't last long" Rachel said quickly, "she only slushied me that once herself, after that she just penned nicknames and a few unnecessary comments, the others just continued what she'd started. And I know she regrets it, she's told me so many times"

"Well, we have always taught you forgiveness" Hiram sighed.

"So what changed?" Leroy asked, wondering how on earth Quinn and Rachel had gotten past all of that.

"Well, as you well know she got pregnant and gave Beth up to Shelby, the pregnancy completely changed her. She had a few crazy moments after, I could tell she was struggling and just needed someone so I never stopped reaching out to her. It took some time but we're friends now and..well, I'm scared to lose that"

"Do you think she could ever love you back?" Hiram asked seriously.

Rachel bit her lip before nodding.

"As crazy as it sounds the way she looks at me sometimes I-" she shook her head, "I mean I've never thought she could be anything but straight, she had a child for crying out loud but oh, I just don't know. She accepted Santana and Brittany so easily I just, I really don't know"

"And you'll never know unless you ask, baby girl" Leroy said gently. "I know it's scary, but what have you got to lose? I know you don't want to lose her as a friend but do you really think she'd stop being friends with you because of it? I don't know the girl but she seems strong, like she powers through. And you don't have long left here, sweetie, you'll soon be in New York living your dreams"

"You really think it's worth a shot?" Rachel asked looking to them both for reassurance.

"Rach, how far is Yale from New York?"

"69.7 miles" she said without hesitation before blushing at her fathers chuckling.

"There's a few hours of Valentine's Day left, go get her kiddo"

That's how Rachel Barbra Berry ended up on the Fabray porch at 9:15 at night clutching two flowers, a Gardenia and a Lily.

She nervously rang the doorbell before smoothing down her hair and pulling at her coat, Quinn opened the door and looked surprised to see her, surprised not disappointed.

"Hi Rachel" she smiled.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Quinn" Rachel said before holding the flowers out to the taller girl.

Quinn raised an eyebrow before taking them, again surprised.

"They're lovely, thank you. Would you like to come in or?"

"You don't have plans?" Rachel asked in surprise as the door was closed behind her, the blonde gestured for her to follow and so she did to the kitchen.

"Nope, I've just been watching soppy movies all night" she smiled as she put the flowers into water. "And why aren't you with Finn?"

"Um, we broke up a few days ago"

Quinn almost dropped the vase she was setting on to the table.

"What? But I thought-"

"You were right" Rachel said as she sat down. "I couldn't go through with it knowing I was living a lie"

"Well, I'm proud of you" Quinn said casually as she sat in the next chair herself, "how did Finn take it?"

"Surprisingly well, actually" Rachel told her, "and it seems he's more observant than we give him credit"

That brow quirked again, that damn brow.

"Now this I have to hear"

Rachel froze. Her mouth went dry and her hands were suddenly disgustingly clammy.

"Rachel" Quinn said gently. "Rachel?" she said looking more concerned.

The brunette blinked and swallowed audibly before jumping to her feet.

"I have to go, sorry"

And with that she ran out of the house, into her car and sped home as fast as her heart was racing.

She flung the front door open with tears running down her face, her fathers came running and she flung herself against them.

"I couldn't do it" she sobbed. "I love her and I couldn't tell her"

Back at the Fabray residence Quinn was frowning and trying to process what exactly had happened. She didn't think she'd said anything that could have offended Rachel, and they were friends now.

She was still turning things over in her mind when she spotted Rachel's red scarf on the back of the chair, she grabbed it and got into her car to go and give it back and make sure that Rachel was okay.

Meanwhile Rachel was lay on the couch still sobbing as Leroy made hot cocoa and Hiram was trying to find the special edition Funny Girl dvd they'd gotten for her a few Christmases ago.

Hiram had finally found it when there was a knock at the door; he opened it to find a shivering wet Quinn Fabray on his doorstep.

"Who is it honey?" Leroy asked as he walked into the hall way, he took one look at the blonde before ushering her in and turning up the heat.

"Quinn's here, Rach" Hiram said as he pulled the blonde into the living room, Rachel wiped her face and sat up quickly.

"You left your scarf" Quinn said through her teeth chattering, "a-and I wanted to know you were okay, you left so suddenly"

"We need to get you changed before you catch your death, sweetie" Hiram said kindly. "Lee go get Quinn some sweats and a tshirt so we can dry her clothes and I'll go make an extra cup of cocoa"

Ten minutes later the blonde was sat comfortably in the loveseat in baggy clothing with a hot mug of cocoa in her hands.

"We'll be in the kitchen, girls" Leroy said before leading his husband away to give them some privacy, but knowing they could still hear from the kitchen.

"Why did you leave?" Quinn asked after a few minutes of silence, she noticed how Rachel visibly cringed.

"I didn't say something did I? I didn't think I did and I mean you brought flowers and then just left before I could even offer you a drink"

"I don't know what to say, Quinn" Rachel said quietly before re-biting her nails.

"Well, you being speechless doesn't happen very often" Quinn teased kindly before moving to kneel in front of the girl. "Talk to me? Please?"

Rachel shook her head with a sad expression.

"I can't, we- you- I like us being friends"

Quinn's face was a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"I like us being friends too, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I can deal with us being friends, it took long enough" Rachel said, almost to herself. "Friends are good, you're a good friend, and we're friends"

"Of course we're friends" Quinn said with a frown, "why don't you finish telling me about Finn?"

Rachel's eyes flickered worryingly between Quinn and the floor which was suddenly a lot more interesting.

"It doesn't matter" she mumbled.

Quinn's hand rested on her knee, Rachel looked down at it before looking back at Quinn briefly.

"Rachel, talk to me" she told her sternly.

"I can't because if I start then I won't stop and then I'll lose you and then you'll go to Yale and I'll never see you again and I won't know if you're happy and I won't know what would have happened if-" she babbled not taking a breath before stopping.

"If what, Rachel?" Quinn asked softly.

The brunette's hands were clammy again and her hands reached to her throat that felt like it was rapidly drying up.

"You'll hate me; I don't want you to hate me"

"I've never hated you, ever" Quinn said lightly squeezing her knee.

"I don't want you to hate me" she repeated, "You'd surely hate me if you knew"

"If I knew what, Rachel?" the blonde asked exasperatedly.

Rachel's eyes darted around; trying not to focus on the caring girl knelt in front of her.

"That I love you" she mumbled.

"I can't hear you" Quinn sighed, Rachel could be hard work sometimes.

"I love you" she whispered.

"I still ca-"

"I love you!" Rachel said a little louder than she'd intended.

Rachel was panicking, Quinn hadn't moved or said anything for a few minutes, was it acceptable to run away in her own home?

"I know you don't feel the same but please, say we can still be friends" Rachel begged.

"Why are you always so quick to assume?" Quinn asked softly, "I'm just in shock, Rachel; I just need a few seconds to adjust. I'm not used to a declaration of love, much less from someone I actually have feelings for"

Rachel sighed.

"Because you're Quinn Fabray! You're beautiful and smart and why would you ever w..wait, what?" the brunette paused with wide eyes, Quinn couldn't help but chuckle.

"I sometimes think your ears and mouth must run on separate timing" she smiled.

Rachel blushed very slightly; it wasn't the first time she'd heard something like that.

"It sounds about accurate" she agreed, "my dad's are always trying to convince me that I was trying to sing before I could even talk"

"Now that doesn't surprise me" Quinn replied with a grin as sank onto the couch next to her.

"W-what does this mean, Quinn?" Rachel asked nervously.

Quinn paused thoughtfully before slowly moving her hand to rest over a smaller more tan one, she looked to Rachel with a small smile.

"Honestly, I don't know. This is all new to me and though I've wanted you for a long time I never thought I'd actually get the chance to be with you. Your break up is still fresh and though you were never right for each other I know you did love Finn somewhat, but we can spend time together and see how things go?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"That sounds great, and I know what you mean, I never in a million years dreamed that this would be happening right now, you here on Valentine's Day holding my hand"

Quinn chuckled and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Rachel's ear, her eyes drifted to full pouty lips before looking away again.

"Can..Can I kiss you?" she asked before flushing pink.

"Please do" Rachel whispered as she closed her eyes.

Quinn's eyes remained open and she slowly moved forward so their lips touched, Rachel's lips were so soft and they fit with hers perfectly so. She felt Rachel smile slightly and closed her eyes, Rachel's scent flooded over her and she swore she could almost taste cotton candy on the girl's mouth.

Rachel's head tilted slightly and a tan hand made it's way to softly caress a pale cheek, Quinn's hand lingered at the base of her neck and her lips glided more smoothly, more determined over her own.

And then they both tasted heaven.

Rachel's tongue snuck out to swipe at Quinn's lower lip and the blonde's body moved of its own accord before her own tongue was begging entrance to Rachel's mouth. Their warm tongues met and both girls melted into the graceful sure movements they were making.

Finally they pulled away, eyes still closed and faces flushed.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Rachel" Quinn smiled as she smoothed down the brunette locks she'd slightly disturbed.

Rachel beamed before throwing her arms around her; Hiram chose that moment to walk in with a tray of goodies and cups of tea.

"Lee" he yelled, "you owe me $20"

"What? What for?"

"Underestimating these girls" he winked. "Quinn, just out of interest..how far is Yale from New York?" he teased as Rachel hid her face.

Quinn smiled at him before pulling the girl's hands away from her face, holding them in her own.

"It's okay, Rach, I checked too. 69.7 miles doesn't sound like much, but I'm sure I'll be cursing every last one of them when we're out there"

"Do you plan on driving out there, Quinn?" Leroy asked as he joined them, snuggling up to his husband on the other couch.

"Oh, of course" she told them before taking a sip of her tea, "can't have Rachel getting mobbed on public transport can we?" she smiled.

"Oh honey, I think I love her too" Hiram gushed with a hand on his chest.

"You have faith in her and can admit when you're wrong" Leroy nodded, "I never liked Finn any way, much too tall and uncomplimentary, Quinn you're definitely a keeper"

"Thank you sir" she chuckled.

"Have I mentioned I love you?" Rachel sighed dreamily as Quinn leaned against her, the blonde smiled before planting a kiss to her cheek.

"You did, and you don't know how glad I am that you did"


End file.
